Too Far Under The Brush
by Xi-Chan PWNS
Summary: He said he'll handle it, But we all know he won't. Dad's out of town and mom's too busy to heed the words that rapidly spew out your mouth. What's done is done and what's been spoken cannot be unspoken. So just sit back, just breath, and don't sweat the bad stuff. an Everyman Marble Tribe story.
1. Chapter 1

Too Far Under The Brush

By XiChan PWNS

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own any of these Characters, or the Operator/Slenderman. They all belong to their respected Creators and Slenderverses.

Slenderverse involved are:

Marble Hornets

Tribetwelve

EverymanHYBRID

DarkHarvest

* * *

_It's cold, unseasonably so tonight._

These night seemed to get longer and longer. Alex's not even sure if he's even sleeping anymore. Nobody is at this point. Jeff lounges of in the comfort of his room, playing off to the beat of a classic Decemberists CD on his home stereo. Vince isn't answering the phone and Evan has long gone home about an half an hour past then. Jessa's lost and her existence springs cold formations in the air. Alex isn't sure if it's the open window by the dresser, or the closing isolated feel of Jeff's stare into space. In honest point, Alex hopes she's just roaming; hopefully far away from home somewhere, deserted. Not stretched out in a ditch or sinking into a river.

Jeff has heard enough of that nonsense. He wants no part it; won't even acknowledge the thought of it. Alex understands as does the others. After countless searches, patchy hours of sleep, and scrathches noisily peeling through the walls, their search left many queries and stolen hope. Jeff hasn't left the room since.

Sparky sleeps beneath his hand, rubbing her head against his palm. Glancing at the clock, he sets himself at the edge of the bed. These noise come and go, departing into different directions around the house. Case point, Alex suspects they're coming from the walls or maybe they're just illusions playing off in his head. He isn't sure which but he's hoping on the second suggestion.

Maybe it's really is his mind playing tricks. Maybe all those lacerations were just the medication taking fold. Maybe even that white bald monstrocity crawling through his closet, was just a figment of aberration. But explaining the cause of his bleeding wrists could sing another tune in the other direction. Jeff hasn't spoken, his fingers ghosting over the repeat button several times. Regardless of the open silence it's better than being alone in Alex's case.

His wrists iche immensely, but ignoring them seems to be the better solution. More perfreably getting the sleep he needs. There are dreams that leave him treabling, dreams that leave him screaming and his mother rushing into his room concerned and frowning from the late night wake up. She's asked questions, grab his face, and lay the back of her hand on his forhead. Alex lets her, he's aware of the worried tones he gets from his parents asking too many questions. He want's to laugh and tell them he's fine. But what could he say? There was nothing he could to make them believe.

"Alex, sweetheart what's wrong,"? gripping onto his face whilst stroking his hair, a calming motion he'd agree; if moments like these weren't so mortifying. She'd drone on sweet sympathy. Alex wants to pull away, But pushing away would only lead to more inquiry

He can't tell them. He can't tell them about the nightmares, or the scratches, or the sirens, or even Jeff's unusual behavior. He just wants to get away. Get away from this house,Get away like Jessa may have done, if his mind wasn't pushing to that other option.

"Is it the medicine?" she asks and Alex immediately shuts down. The drugs he's been given, pills and bottles of prescriptions from a doctor who thinks he knows better. Thinks he's know what's been happening, like he's a witness to it all. To Jeff, to Jessa, to Evan, to Vince, and everyone else. Pulling out absurd conclusions and diagnostics like's seen these actions before. Alex shakes beneath the covers, the doctor hasn't seen the nightmares, the monsters, or even his wrists laced in long drags of scratches. He shakes his head, answering in a no gesture.

When she's sure he's calm, she places a kiss on his forehead and leaves, Alex feels a lot more serene, the cold sweats are gone. The nightmares are gone. He hunkers down back in the sheets, and closes his eyes. Now more preferably getting the sleep he needs.

Staying here with Jeff seemed fine enough. As long as someone in the house with him. For however long it takes, he's hoping it'll be over soon. Regardless of the open stillness, it's better than being alone in Alex's case.


	2. Chapter 2

Too Far Under The Brush

By XiChan PWNS

Disclaimer:

I do not own any of these Characters, or the Operator/Slenderman. They all belong to their respected Creators and Slenderverses.

Slenderverses involved are:

Marble Hornets

Tribetwelve

EverymanHYBRID

DarkHarvest

* * *

When Vince and Evan visit the house, Alex least expects it. Their visit is sudden and sets off a bleaker tone in the air. Being asked upon the cause of their appearance, Vince's only address to their sudden stopover is to speak to Jeff.

A cold shudder shakes at the bottom of Alex's Gut. It was only a matter of time really. In their case, Alex feels it's his fault for not informing them ahead of time about Jeff. He answered hasn't any calls or messages, and Vinny's concerned visage says much to be believed. Evan sits in the couch, playing with the ears of Sparky; crooning words like "whose a good girl?" and scratching her belly affectionally. The scene comes off as familiar and nostalgic to Alex, as if Things appear normal again. Maybe if Jeff were here, smiling and greeting, and Vince chatting it up with them, Evan casually grinning and laughing loudly, then normalcy could fall back into place here again. Alex feels a little bit better just at the thought of it.

It isn't until Vince asked again on the subject of Jeff that normalcy obliterated beyond past recognition and faulty hope for its redemption gone. Alex has that gut-wrenching feeling again. "Is Jeff okay now or…" Vince stumbles with his words. The air's shifting warmer and it suddenly feels hot. Alex suspects the air conditioner's acting up again. Problems had been sputtering a lot with it lately. It wasn't something he was used to handling since toying with mechanical tech wasn't in his stretch of curricular ed. Usually dad cleared most of its problems but…

"Nah, I'm sure he's okay." Alex lied. No, Jeff wasn't okay. He's hasn't been okay since Jessa left home. Vinny gives a reassuring look and smiled. To salt the gaping wound in his gut, the shining reverie in Vince's eyes causes Alex to wish he could take back that lie. Fuck Jeff for leaving such burden on him while he goes through the motions. The concerns of his friends and their timely visit to see him, showed how much perturbed his friends really were to Jeff. The closeness of their friendship functioned perfectly together like Tetris Blocks. Alex didn't like having to lie to Jeff's friends. He didn't enjoy having to make excuses for Jeff isolated phase from the world. It made him feel silly; and made Jeff seem like some lovesick preteen just coping over their first break up.

"Sorry we didn't explain the situation sooner."

"That's quite all right with me." Vince replied, "I was just wondering about it lately and decided to call up Evan so we could come over for a bit." Evan hasn't looked up from their conversation on the couch in the living room. He had been unusually quiet since he arrived here. Alex wonders if something's wrong, but shakes the thought; probably just as concerned as Vince in the situation. Vinny takes a seat in one of the lounging chairs they have, Alex follow suit; sitting an inch away from Evan. Who only acknowledge him as he took his sit-down.

The air doesn't feel as bleak anymore.

* * *

By the time it's 3:00, Alex is already dozing off under a blanket. Vince has been toying with a camera he had brought from home. The model looks exceptionally new and spunky. Vince had probably spent of fortune of his money on it, or received it from a relative maybe. Alex wonders why exactly he brought it with him, Maybe to test it out but he wasn't really all that sure. Evan busied himself with Bioshock, the TV blaring with the roaring sounds of a raging Big Daddy and splicers assailing his armed persona. Jeff hasn't peek out of his room yet, not even after all the texts Alex sent him from downstairs. Irritable as it is, Alex tries not to let it bother him too much.

Vince had tried in his attempts to seek Jeff, but Jeff wasn't talking. His sullen disposition as of late pained of part of Vince's heart, who spoke up apologies and left him alone for a bit. This whole plight of events with Jeff was becoming evidently stressful, something needed to be done. When Vince returned, he retreated back to toying with the camera. Alex guessed now would be a better time to ask.

"What did he say?", Alex pressed. Vince looked up almost as if he just noticed Alex there. "He's not talking..." he says, fondling the camera in his palms." He seems extremely distance."

"You mean, he's not listening to you?"

"No. I mean- he listened yeah, and said a few things but-"

"But what?" Alex queried, "Why is he being such an ass to you for?! It's not even your fucking fault!" Evan looked from the corner of his eyes, puzzled a bit by the raise in Alex's voice; but turned away and smiled. Vince Sputtered, " I-I don't okay? I don't know what's been pulling at your brother's strings all this time. He hasn't said anything to us, we've been texting him for days."

"More like a month and half" Evan throws in. Vince turns to give him a glare. Alex gets exasperated,that was kinda his and Jeff's part of fault for not explaining earlier. He could understand that. " Vinny, I'm sorry about that. I should have at least explain that part." he apologized.

"It's fine dude, really I understand the problem now and everything going to be-"

Something white scuttles across the floor behind Vince.

Alex's heart races. The pain in his gut returned and he's shaking. He wants to grab a hold of something, anything. A weapon, something sharp and heavy; Evan may have a knife on him. He always carries one around with him all the time. He wants to alert them, alert them of the danger they could be in. But he's too strucked, he body sits frozen and he feels helpless. Like back when him and Jeff were little and how calm and comforting Jeff was to him when had his panic attacks. When the thing disappears, it's like a hallucination, a ghost that was once there. Somehow Alex stops shaking, excusing himself from the conversation with Vince. He needed to go check up on his room; and more importantly- his brother.

When he rushes up to his room, he comes to a surprising discovery: all the locks are still in place. There's no evidence of a breakout anywhere, no long scratches, no punctured door cave ins, nothing. Alex can feel his heart pushing out of his chest. The damn thing must have gotten out another way, probably through the vents, but there was no telling how and when. His next objective was to see his brother. He'd be damned if he left that bald monstrosity even lay on of grotesquely finger on him. Alex is wishing he took a weapon with him, a knife would have been essential at the moment. when he reaches Jeff's room, he notes That there aren't any obvious break-ins. It's reassuring, but he isn't too sure.

Where he goes to knock, theres a pause until finally Jeff opens the door. He looks frighteningly pale, an implication that isn't putting Alex's heart at ease. " What's the problem bro?" Jeff mumbles. Even his voice sounded hoarse, god what have you've been doing Jeff. " Nothing, nothing... are you okay?"

Jeff gives a strained look, "yeah, is everything okay with you?".

"Yeah, everything peachy..."_ No everything wasn't. Jeff do you even realize what you're putting everyone through..._

Jeff smiles slightly, Alex has never seen his brother this tired before. The search for Jessa was straining thin with no trail to start with. Silence aches between them both before Alex speaks up again.

"Vince and Evan are still down stairs...if you wanted to see them."

_Please, please, please just get out of this room. Vince is getting upset, I'm upset, Jeff we're begging._

As if Jeff could read his mind, he moved himself out the boundaries of his room and headed downstairs. Alex hadn't even notice till he was halfway down and pressed his head against the edge of the door frame. No sight of the monster anywhere, he blows a sign of relief. He hopes Jeff can patch up a few things with the others and act like himself again. It was stressful dealing with this side of him; it wasn't enjoyable and damn near exhausting to handle the worries and concerns of his friends. He' hoping everything will be okay for everyone.

For Jeff, For Vince, For Evan, For Jessa, and in the back of his mind, he's wishing for himself too.


End file.
